In a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a liquid crystal layer is typically arranged between a thin film transistor array substrate and a color filter substrate. In order to bond the thin film transistor array substrate and the color filter substrate together, photo-sensitive spacers for supporting need to be arranged between the two substrates to thereby control the thickness of the liquid crystal layer. Moreover the photo-sensitive spacer can be also arranged so that the LCD can resume its original shape upon being pressed by an external force so as to be protected.
FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of a liquid crystal display in the prior art. As can be seen, photo-sensitive spacers 111 are arranged at the locations where a vertical black matrix 105 crosses a horizontal black matrix 106. In FIG. 1, data lines 102 are arranged parallel to the vertical black matrix 105, and scan lines 103 are arranged parallel to the horizontal black matrix 106. The area surrounded by the data lines 102 and the scan lines 103 is referred to as pixel display area in which a pixel electrode layer 104 is arranged.
FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of a liquid crystal display in the prior art. A color filter substrate 107 and a thin film transistor array substrate 108 are arranged opposite to each other, and the surface of the thin film transistor array substrate 108 is covered with a planarizing layer 109 in which the planarizing layer openings 110 are arranged. The pixel electrode layer 104 overlying the planarizing layer 109 can be metal-contact with drains 113 covered by the planarizing layer 109 due to the planarizing layer opening 110. The photo-sensitive spacers 111 and sub-photo-sensitive spacers 112 are arranged between the thin film transistor array substrate 108 and the color filter substrate 107 for protection and support. In the prior art, fixed ends of the photo-sensitive spacers 111 and the assisting photo-sensitive spacers 112 are arranged on the inside of the color filter substrate 107, and free ends of the photo-sensitive spacers 111 and the sub-photo-sensitive spacers 112 are arranged facing the inside of the thin film transistor array substrate 108.
The photo-sensitive spacers 111 are arranged between two adjacent planarizing layer openings 110 on the thin film transistor array substrate 108, typically above gates 114. As the pixel density of the liquid crystal display is increased, the space between the planarizing layer openings 110 becomes smaller, and the planarizing layer 109 becomes less planar. At this time when an external force is applied to the liquid crystal display, the photo-sensitive spacers 111 are arranged on non-planar locations and thus tend to be curved so that the liquid crystal display may be deformed, or the photo-sensitive spacers 111 may slip into the planarizing layer openings 110 so that the liquid crystal display may have color cast problems, light leakage and other technical issues.